Fighting Irish & Michigan to take a break

One of the greatest and storied rivaleries is no more…..well for two seasons at least!

The University of Michigan Wolverines and the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame have been involved in some of the closest and entertaining games to grace the turf of any field on any giving Saturday in the US.

Both universities have agreed to that a break from the storied rivalry contest in seasons 2018 & 2019.

“This was either in place when I got here or it was a request that came shortly after I got here,” Notre Dame athletics director Jack Swarbrick told the Chicago Tribune.

“I didn’t even know it wasn’t known, frankly. It had been cooked into our scheduling model for at least three years."

Both sides expect the series to resume in 2020.

The break is not without precedent. The Irish and Wolverines did not meet in either 2000 or 2001 before resuming the series for the past 10 years. The also did not play in either 1995 or 1996 and also in 1983 and 1984.

“We’re going to keep playing each other,” Swarbrick said. “It’s important to both schools. This initiated with a request from up there years ago, and we said OK.”

Michigan holds a 23-15-1 edge on Notre Dame in the series which dates back to 1887.